Improvement in band-cutters and feeders for thrashing-machines



J. SULLIVAN & l. MINKS. v Band-butters and Feeders-forThrashing-Machines. N 140, 53. Patented July '8, 1873.

AM. no TO-LIFHOGIMPH/l. to. N x (usnamvslsrnacsis's) UNITED STATESPATENT QEFIGE.

JOSIAH SULLIVAN AND JOHN MINKS, OF NEWARK, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BAND-CUTTERSAND FEEDERS FOR THRASHlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,658, dated July 8,1873; application filed May 3, 1873.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOSIAH SULLIVAN and JOHNMINKs, of Newark, in the county of Greene and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and valuable Improvement in Feed Attachment for ThrashingMachines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of thisspecification and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation of our bandcutting and grainfeeding machine by a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 is a planview of our band-cutter and grainfeeder.

Our invention relates to an improved feeding apparatus for athrashing-machine, which receives the bound sheaves, cuts the binding,spreads the grain, loosens the same, and feeds it to the thrasher. Arepresents a feedingtable, such as is generally used forthrashingmachines, with upright side boards a. a. A pair of uprights orstands, B B, fastened to the table A, support, by means of suitablebearings, the cutter-shaft O, to which the curved cutters c 0 arefastened in progressive order. The convex part of the cutter is theadvancing part in the revolution of the shaft 0, and it is sharpened forthe purpose of cutting the binding of the sheaves.

The above-mentioned shape of the cutter causes it to push the grainforward under the teethdof arevolving rake, D, which moves the grain tothe end of the feedin g-table, where it is caught by the heaters.

The rake teeth d d are straight, that the grain may not be compressed bythem, and that the ends of the grain may be lifted by them, thus feedingthe same as loosely as possible.

As the sheaves are of a nearly-cylindrical shape, and are, for thatreason, inclined to furnish more material in the center of the feedtablethan at the sides, we have remedied this defect by making the distanceof the rake-teeth d d larger at the center than at the sides. By thesemeans there is, in consequence of the firmer hold, less grain allowed togive the slip to the rake-teeth on both sides than there is in thecenter, and the accumulated grain in the center falls over and spreadsto both sides of the feed-table after each stroke of the raketeeth.

The distances of said rake-teeth are so proportioned that the grain of asheave of a certain size is fed to the thrashers thoroughly even.

The progressive arrangement of the knives c 0 serves to propel theseparated sheave with an oblique front, thereby breaking or coveringjoints between 'the succeeding sheaves.

It is easily seen that a machine like the one described presents anuninterrupted sheet of evenly spread and sufiiciently loosened grain,which is the most advantageous method of feeding a thrashing machine.Any person strong enough to place the sheaves on the table is able toattend to the machine. Even if the sheaves are put on the table notaccording to the direction of the feed-motion the curvature of theknives o 0 serves to give the grain the right direction, and to comb thestraws so they come out parallel, the sharp edges of the knives glidingover the round surfaces of the yielding straws of the sheave while thebands are cut asunder.

- The cutter-shaft 0 receives its rotating power, by means of a pulley,B, and belt 0, from a pulley, E, on the rakeshaft D, which is fastened,by means of the stands E E, to the feed-table A. A belt, D, revolves thepulley E, and thereby furnishes power to the whole feeding apparatus,which, by its construction, is an independent machine, and may beapplied, at pleasure, to any thrashing machine.

What we claim as new, aud desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a band-cutter for thrashing machinesthe cutter-shaft 0, having thecurved cutters c 0, arranged in progressive order, and operatin g in themanner set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement of the have hereunto subscribed ournames in the compensating feed-rake D with the straight presence of twoWitnesses.

rake-teeth d, and the cutter-shaft O with the JOSIAH SULLIVAN. curvedcutters c 0, arranged in progressive JOHN MINKS. order, substantially asand for the purpose Witnessess:

specified. J. P. MCINTOSH,

In testimony that we claim the above we J. NELSON GAKEY.

